Sonate concertate in stilo moderno

work by Castello

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July 14, 2026

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The Sonate concertate in stilo moderno is a collection of musical works by Dario Castello, published in the early 17th century. The title itself, meaning "Concerted Sonatas in the Modern Style," signifies a departure from earlier musical conventions.1

This collection is notable for its use of the "concertato style," which involves the interaction of two or more groups of instruments or voices. Castello's sonatas, specifically for instruments like the violin and bassoon, elaborate on the basso continuo, a foundational element of Baroque music where a bass line is accompanied by improvised harmonies. These works contributed to the development of instrumental music by showcasing contrasts between different instrumental groups and virtuosic passages. The Sonate concertate are considered early examples of instrumental music that would evolve into more defined forms like the sonata and concerto.213

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chamber music
Sources and instruments
…Venice, published a set of Sonate da camera cioè Sinfonie… (Chamber Sonatas, that is, Symphonies…), each consisting of four to six dance movements with an introductory movement (sinfonia) not in dance style. The development of chamber music for the remainder of the century centred upon these two types, sonata da…
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…Venice, published a set of Sonate da camera cioè Sinfonie… (Chamber Sonatas, that is, Symphonies…), each consisting of four to six dance movements with an introductory movement (sinfonia) not in dance style. The development of chamber music for the remainder of the century centred upon these two types, sonata da…
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concerto
Origins of the concerto
…of the virtuoso soloist—is the Sonate concertate in stilo moderno (Concerted Sonatas in the Modern Style), by an Italian, Dario Castello, a collection for a violin and for a bassoon that elaborates on the basso continuo part. (The basso continuo, a constant device of Baroque music, calls for a low,…
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…of the virtuoso soloist—is the Sonate concertate in stilo moderno (Concerted Sonatas in the Modern Style), by an Italian, Dario Castello, a collection for a violin and for a bassoon that elaborates on the basso continuo part. (The basso continuo, a constant device of Baroque music, calls for a low,…
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sonata
Early development outside Italy
…several years in Italy; his Sonate da camera cioè sinfonie (i.e., suites or symphonies), published in Venice in 1667, are essentially dance compositions. But 12 years later, in Nürnberg, he issued a set of sonatas in two, three, four, and five parts that vividly illustrate the German trend toward more…
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…several years in Italy; his Sonate da camera cioè sinfonie (i.e., suites or symphonies), published in Venice in 1667, are essentially dance compositions. But 12 years later, in Nürnberg, he issued a set of sonatas in two, three, four, and five parts that vividly illustrate the German trend toward more…
Read More